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Meteorite Impacts
Natty D Exam Notes on Meteorites
39
Geology
Undergraduate 1
12/13/2011

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Cards

Term
Def. Meteoroid
Definition
matter revolving around the Sun or any object in planetary space too small to be called an asteroid or a comet
Term
Def. Meteorite
Definition
a meteoroid which reaches the surface of the Earth without being vaporized
Term
Def. Asteroid
Definition
Rocky Fragments which either:
1) failed to consolidate into a planet, or
2) represent remnants of a fragmented planet
Term
What are the types of Stony Meteorites and what is the difference between them?
Definition
1) Chondites- Contain Chondrules (very old)
2) Anchondrites- no chrondrules
Term
What are Iron Meteorites made of
Definition
- pure metallic nickle and iron
Term
Def. Comet
Definition
- a mix of ice and dust loosely held together (icy snowball)
- come from far away in solar system
Term
What is the probability of a meteorite over 1km in diameter hitting earth?
Definition
very low
Term
Describe the cratering process.
Definition
- very fast, extreme energy release
- blanket of ejecta relseased around crater
- rock will be fractured crushed and broken, sometimes even vaporized
- high pressure and temperature
- after compression, decompression, which can cause the rock to melt
Term
Why are there more craters on the Moon than on Earth?
Definition
- impacts on earth can be buried
- erosion is more prominent on earth than on the Moon
- plate tectonics can hide craters
- the earth has an atmosphere and the moon does not
Term
What would happen if a large impact were to occur on earth (meteorite over 1km)?
Definition
Base Surge- similar to pyroclastic flow, hot ash travels away from event
Dust- from the pulverization of rock would be sent into the atmosphere
Hurricanes & Tsunamis (if ocean impact)- the energy liberated upon impact would cause hypercanes and global tsunamis
Wildfires- putting soot in atmosphere
Earthquakaes
Volcanism- on other side of globe as a result of impact shockwaves
Global Winter and Darkness- as a result of the soot, ash, and dust blocking the sun
Term
What were the defining details of the meteorite-like occurrence in Tunguska, Russia?
Definition
-felled trees
- huge fires
- we think it was a comet which exploded creating a fireball, because there was no crater and no solid debris
Term
What was the Comet Pshoemaker Levy Event?
Definition
- Comet hit Jupiter
- first human observance of collision of solar system bodies
- many impacts, fragment G most important
- thousand KM high plumes
Term
Def. Meteoroid
Definition
matter revolving around the Sun or any object in planetary space too small to be called an asteroid or a comet
Term
Def. Meteorite
Definition
a meteoroid which reaches the surface of the Earth without being vaporized
Term
Def. Asteroid
Definition
Rocky Fragments which either:
1) failed to consolidate into a planet, or
2) represent remnants of a fragmented planet
Term
What are the types of Stony Meteorites and what is the difference between them?
Definition
1) Chondites- Contain Chondrules (very old)
2) Anchondrites- no chrondrules
Term
What are Iron Meteorites made of
Definition
- pure metallic nickle and iron
Term
Def. Comet
Definition
- a mix of ice and dust loosely held together (icy snowball)
- come from far away in solar system
Term
What is the probability of a meteorite over 1km in diameter hitting earth?
Definition
very low
Term
Describe the cratering process.
Definition
- very fast, extreme energy release
- blanket of ejecta relseased around crater
- rock will be fractured crushed and broken, sometimes even vaporized
- high pressure and temperature
- after compression, decompression, which can cause the rock to melt
Term
Why are there more craters on the Moon than on Earth?
Definition
- impacts on earth can be buried
- erosion is more prominent on earth than on the Moon
- plate tectonics can hide craters
- the earth has an atmosphere and the moon does not
Term
What would happen if a large impact were to occur on earth (meteorite over 1km)?
Definition
Base Surge- similar to pyroclastic flow, hot ash travels away from event
Dust- from the pulverization of rock would be sent into the atmosphere
Hurricanes & Tsunamis (if ocean impact)- the energy liberated upon impact would cause hypercanes and global tsunamis
Wildfires- putting soot in atmosphere
Earthquakaes
Volcanism- on other side of globe as a result of impact shockwaves
Global Winter and Darkness- as a result of the soot, ash, and dust blocking the sun
Term
What were the defining details of the meteorite-like occurrence in Tunguska, Russia?
Definition
-felled trees
- huge fires
- we think it was a comet which exploded creating a fireball, because there was no crater and no solid debris
Term
What was the Comet Pshoemaker Levy Event?
Definition
- Comet hit Jupiter
- first human observance of collision of solar system bodies
- many impacts, fragment G most important
- thousand KM high plumes
Term
Def. Meteoroid
Definition
matter revolving around the Sun or any object in planetary space too small to be called an asteroid or a comet
Term
Def. Meteorite
Definition
a meteoroid which reaches the surface of the Earth without being vaporized
Term
Def. Asteroid
Definition
Rocky Fragments which either:
1) failed to consolidate into a planet, or
2) represent remnants of a fragmented planet
Term
What are the types of Stony Meteorites and what is the difference between them?
Definition
1) Chondites- Contain Chondrules (very old)
2) Anchondrites- no chrondrules
Term
What are Iron Meteorites made of
Definition
- pure metallic nickle and iron
Term
Def. Comet
Definition
- a mix of ice and dust loosely held together (icy snowball)
- come from far away in solar system
Term
What is the probability of a meteorite over 1km in diameter hitting earth?
Definition
very low
Term
Describe the cratering process.
Definition
- very fast, extreme energy release
- blanket of ejecta relseased around crater
- rock will be fractured crushed and broken, sometimes even vaporized
- high pressure and temperature
- after compression, decompression, which can cause the rock to melt
Term
Why are there more craters on the Moon than on Earth?
Definition
- impacts on earth can be buried
- erosion is more prominent on earth than on the Moon
- plate tectonics can hide craters
- the earth has an atmosphere and the moon does not
Term
What would happen if a large impact were to occur on earth (meteorite over 1km)?
Definition
Base Surge- similar to pyroclastic flow, hot ash travels away from event
Dust- from the pulverization of rock would be sent into the atmosphere
Hurricanes & Tsunamis (if ocean impact)- the energy liberated upon impact would cause hypercanes and global tsunamis
Wildfires- putting soot in atmosphere
Earthquakaes
Volcanism- on other side of globe as a result of impact shockwaves
Global Winter and Darkness- as a result of the soot, ash, and dust blocking the sun
Term
What were the defining details of the meteorite-like occurrence in Tunguska, Russia?
Definition
-felled trees
- huge fires
- we think it was a comet which exploded creating a fireball, because there was no crater and no solid debris
Term
What was the Comet Pshoemaker Levy Event?
Definition
- Comet hit Jupiter
- first human observance of collision of solar system bodies
- many impacts, fragment G most important
- thousand KM high plumes
Term
What is the evidence that a meteorite impact caused the KT mass extinction?
Definition
- high iridium at KT boundary could have come form a metallic meteorite
- fossil records also indicate high iridium at the time the dinos became extinct
- explains spherules (quartz)
Term
Where would the impact sight of a KT extinction metrorite likely be? Explain
Definition
Yucatan Peninsula, Chixulub
- 10 km diameter
- tsunamis
- sulfur & soot(short term cooling)
- co2 long term warming
Term
Where would the sight of KT extinction volcanism likely be? Explain
Definition
Deccan Traps, Western India
- most volcanism within KT boundary
- massive fire fountains
- sulfur dioxide production
- short term global winter
- gasses in atmosphere would cause acid rain
- SO2 could turn to very small aerosol particles, reflecting UV rays back to sun and causing cooling
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